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New deal paves way for regional cooperation in peace operations

Xinhua, April 4, 2015 Adjust font size:

Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda have signed a deal outlining framework for cooperation in Peace Support Operations under the North Corridor Integration Projects (NCIP), a day after Islamist militants attacked a university in Kenya, killing close to 150 people.

The deal was signed at the conclusion of a workshop that attracted delegates from the three countries in Kigali.

The Peace Support Operations are expected to be set up after the heads of state from the five countries endorse the framework.

The framework agreement is a product of negotiations that resulted from a "Mutual Peace and Security Pact" signed in May last year, which aimed at establishing the Eastern Africa Standby Force.

The aim of setting up the operation framework is to safeguard and protect the fast economic growth of the three countries, whilst avoiding overlapping similar and separate cooperation under the Northern Corridor Integration Projects, a release obtained Friday said.

Speaking at the workshop, the Rwandan head of delegation, Chief Inspector of Police Sam Mwesigwa, said under the framework, the Peace Support Operation will jointly tackle crosscutting crimes such as terrorism, smuggling and economic crimes, as well as improve the lives of people in the region by managing conflicts and guaranteeing their peace.

"We are discussing areas under which member states will cooperate when the Peace Support Operation is implemented. They include modalities under which we shall conduct joint trainings, joint command post exercises, financial mobilization, force generation, among others," CIP Mwesigwa told journalists.

The Head of the Kenyan Delegation, Dancan Ogore, said the operation will serve to improve life of people in the Northern Corridor partner states through guaranteeing their peace and security and improving their capability to manage conflicts wherever they emanate. Amanda Magambo, head of Uganda delegation pointed out that partner states recognize peace and security as a pertinent pillar necessary for propelling the region towards its development visions.

"It will act as a springboard to all other development projects being undertaken in the region, whereby, in the event of need to manage conflicts within the region, the partner states will jointly deploy joint forces in the affected region," Magambo said.

Other areas of cooperation in the Northern Corridor Integration Projects include; disaster risk reduction, management of refugees, control of proliferation of illicit arms and light weapons, combating financial, organized and cross-border crimes such as human and drug trafficking, money laundering and cyber crimes. Endi